Steve Irons (Swan, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to publicly support the Australian Citizenship Amendment (Allegiance to Australia) Bill 2015. The amendments being made to this bill are necessary adjustments, particularly in light of recent events. It is always a pleasure to follow the member for Dawson on issues of national security. I know that he is passionate and diligent and very committed to seeing the security and safety of all Australians, as we should. His speech was very good to hear. It is a pleasure to follow him and other colleagues who have supported this bill.

On Friday, 13 November, France was the victim of a malicious, extreme and what I would call cowardly terrorist attack, which stole the lives of at least 130 people and injured more than 350 others. I would like to add to the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition and all my colleagues in personally extending my condolences to the people of Paris and the families and friends of those killed. No country should have to go through what France is going through. Australia stands solemnly with you in this time of grieving, and we remain united in our battle against terrorism.

The highly organised attacks saw gunmen and suicide bombers target the Parisian way of life—bars, restaurants and a sports stadium. The attacks stole innocent lives and imposed immense fear and suffering not only in Paris but around the world. The attacks were against freedom, as we all understand it to be, and what that freedom means for each of us as individuals. Like France, we too, will not stand for terrorism. We refuse to let terror win. The Australian Citizenship Amendment (Allegiance to Australia) Bill 2015 presents imperative amendments to further secure the safety of Australia and its citizens, by taking a strong stance on terrorism and terrorist organisations.

I would like to provide some context for the House. In September of last year, our national terrorism public alert level was raised to the status of high. Since then, there have been 26 people charged, resulting from 10 counter-terrorism operations and there are currently more than 400 high-priority counter-terrorism ongoing investigations being managed by our security agencies. We just heard the member for Dawson talk about the fact that we are at war. An article that was written in the paper on the weekend, also talked about the fact that we are at war and that France's President has also declared that we are at war. Over 1,000 people have died at the hands of terrorists this year around the world. So, as the member for Dawson said, we are definitely at war.

To provide some perspective and understanding of how serious this threat is, those 400 investigations work out to an average of 2.6 high priority counter-terrorism cases across each Australian electorate. This figure has doubled from what it was only one year ago. In terms of individual involvement, there are currently 110 Australians known to our security agencies to be either fighting with or engaged with terrorist groups in Syria or Iraq. The number of Australians joining extremist groups is rising. The number of supporters of extremism and potential terrorists is rising.

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